Garment fastener



United States Patent U.S. C]. 24-201 1 Claim ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A fastening for disengageably interconnecting opposite sides of an opening in a garment, which fastening comprises a loop, or the like, secured to the inner side of the garment adjacent one edge of the opening, a cord, ribbon, or the like, provided at one end with a snap fastener and having the other end secured to the outer side of the garment adjacent the opposite edge of the opening, and a further snap fastener means secured to the inner side of the garment adjacent the opposite edge and level with the loop or the like, the arrangement being such that in use the edges of the opening can be brought together or interconnected by threading the one end of the cord or ribbon through the loop from the outer side of the garment inwards, then drawing the one end back behind the other end and engaging the snap fastener provided thereon with the further snap fastener on the inner side of the garment.

As a matter of introduction, the present invention relates to fastenings for garments and is concerned particularly, but not exclusively, with fastenings for disengageably interconnecting opposite sides of openings in womens dresses. The invention also includes garments having an opening provided with said fastenings.

Background of the invention Hitherto, it has been customary to provide a hook-and eye fastening for securing together the opposite edges of a central back opening in a ladys dress at or near the upper end of the said opening either as the sole fastening means or as an additional fastening means for use in conjunction with some other type of fastening, such as a row of press-studs or a sliding clasp fastener. Hook-and-eye fastenings are also used in conjunction with sliding clasp fasteners fitted in openings in various other positions in ladies garments to provide an additional means for holding the edges of the openings together after the sliding clasp fasteners have been closed.

Such hook-and-eye fastenings, however, are liable to become accidentally disengaged as a result of movements of the wearers body. They are furthermore unsightly when exposed to view as a result of the stitching by which they are secured becoming worn or loose.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide an improved fastening which is suitable for use instead of such known hook-and-eye fastenings and avoids the above-mentioned disadvantages thereof.

A further object is to provide a fastening which can be used for interconnecting the opposite edges of an opening in a dress in spaced relationship without spoiling the appearance of the dress.

Summary of the invention The improved fastening according to this invention comprises a loop adapted to be secured to part of one edge of an opening in a garment, a cord or ribbon provided at one end with a snap fastener element and adapted to have its other end secured to a part of the other edge of said opening opposite said part of said one edge, or to the inner side of the fabric adjacent said part of said other edge, and a further snap fastener element adapted to be 3,439,389 Patented Apr. 22, 1969 secured to the inner side of the fabric adjacent said part of said other edge at a position substantially level therewith but set back therefrom, the arrangement being such that, in use, the edge parts of the opening can be interconnected by threading the said one end of the cord or ribbon through the loop from the outer side inwards, drawing said one end back behind its other end and engaging the snap fastener element carried thereby with the further snap fastener element on the inner side of the fabric.

The length, width and shape of the loop may be selected to suit the design of the garment on which the fastening is to be used. In general, however, when a ribbon is used to carry the first-mentioned snap fastener element, the loop preferably will have a width correspond ing to that of the ribbon and will be a flat loop, i.e. one in which the two end parts extend outwardly a short distance from the supporting fabric edge while its middle part extends substantially parallel to said edge. When, however, the first-mentioned snap fastener element is carried by a cord, the loop can be a long narrow loop the ends of which are connected to the supporting fabric substantially at one and the same point.

The snap fastener element on the end of the ribbon or cord must of course be small enough to pass through the loop and, when it is on a ribbon, its diameter is preferably not more than half the width of the ribbon.

By suitably selecting the length of the cord or ribbon and the position of the snap fastener element secured to the inner side of the fabric, it is possible to ensure that, when the fastening is secured, the edges of the fabric will be in edge-abutting relationship or alternatively not more than a predetermined distance apart.

If, instead of providing only one snap fastener element on the inner side of the fabric, two or more such elements ing fabric edge, the width of the opening can be adjusted by selectively engaging the snap fastener element on the cord or ribbon with one or other of said two or more elements on the inner side of the fabric.

The loop, instead of having both its ends permanently attached to the supporting fabric, may, if desired, have one end disengageably attached by snap fastener elements. In one preferred example of this form of the invention, the fastening comprises two identical cords secured respectively by one end to parts on opposite sides of the opening in the garment and provided at their other ends with snap fastener elements, and two further snap fastener elements adapted tobe secured to the inner side of the fabric adjacent said parts, the arrangement being such that, when the fastening is closed, each cord passes through the loop formed by the other cord.

It will be appreciated that, in all cases, the cord or ribbon may, if desired, be made of an elastic material.

The invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Brief description of the drawings FIG. 1 is a fragmentary view in elevation illustrating one form of fastening according to this invention fitted to the margins of the upper part of an opening in a garment, the fastening being shown partly disconnected.

FIG. 2 is a corresponding fragmentary view showing the opening closed and secured by this fastening.

FIG. 3 is a similar elevation illustrating another form of fastening according to the invention fitted to the margins of the upper part of a garment opening which is also provided with a zip fastener, the fastening being shown partly disconnected, and

FIG. 4 is a corresponding view showing the opening closed and secured by the fastening.

Description of the preferred embodiments The elevations shown in all four figures of the drawings are elevations as seen from the inner side of the garment.

FIGS. 1 and 2 show marginal portions 11, 12 on the two sides of the upper end part of a vertical slit-type opening 13 in a garment. In order to enable the opening 13 to be secured in the closed position (FIG. 2) with the marginal port-ions 11, 12 in edg-to-edge relationship, upper and lower fastenings are provided.

The upper fastening consists of a loop 14 of cord material located close and parallel to the upper edge 15 of the garment portion 12 and having its two ends connected to this garment portion. The end of this loop 1 4 which is nearer to the vertical edge 16 of the marginal portion 12 is set back a short distance from the said vertical edge. Connected to the edge 17 of the marginal portion 11 on the other side of the opening 13 is one end of a cord 18, the other end of which is connected to the male member 19 of a press-stud fastener. The female member 21 of this press-stud fastener is attached to the marginal portion 11 in a position close to the upper edge 22 of the latter and set back from the edge 17 by a distance slightly greater than that between the two ends of the loop 14.

The lower fastening has two cords 23, 24 attached respectively to the garment edges 16 and 17. The cord 23 has one end connected to the garment edge 16 and the other end connected to the male member 25 of a press-stud fastening. Similarly, the cord 24 has one end connected to the garment edge 17 and the other end connected to the male member 26 of a second press-stud fastening. Female press-stud members 27, 28 are attached to the garment portions 11 and 12 for copenati0n with the male press-stud members 26 and 25 respectively.

The upper fastening is secured by passing the male press-stud member 19 through the loop 14 as shown in FIG. 1 and then, after pulling it back past the edge 17, engaging it with the female pres-stud member 21.

The lower fastening is secured by pulling the cords 23, 24 across each other as shown in FIG. 1, twisting them through 180, pulling their free ends apart and engaging the male press-fastener elements 25 and 26 with the female press-fasteners elements 28 and 27 respectively.

When both fastenings are closed in this manner, as shown in FIG. 2, the garment edges 16 and 17 will be held in close edge-abutting relationship. The upper fastening will then be constituted by a permanently closed loop 14 linked to a releasable closed loop formed by the cord 18.

FIGS. 3 and 4 illustrate the use of another form of fastening according to this invention in conjunction with a zip fastener 33 for closing a slit-type opening between two garment portions 31, 32.

The fastening in this case comprises a loop 34 of cord material arranged close and parallel to the vertical edge 35 of the garment portion 32 and a ribbon 36 secured at one end to the vertical edge 37 of the garment portion 31 and provided at its other end with the female member 38 of a press-stud fastener. The Width of the loop 34 between the upper and lower ends thereof, which are attached to the garment portion 32 is somewhat greater than the width of the ribbon 36, so that the ribbon 36 and the member 38 can be threaded through the loop 34 as shown in FIG. 3. At the same level as the ribbon 36 and set back from the edge 37 of the garment portion 31 is the male member 39 of a press-stud fastener. The fastening 34, 36, 38, 39 can be secured by folding back the ribbon 36 over the outside of the loop 34, pulling the end of the ribbon which carries the member 38 towards the left as seen in FIGS. 3 and 4 and engaging the members 38, 39 of the press-stud fastener. As is clear from FIG. 4, when this has been done, the upper parts of the vertical edges of the fabric portions 31, 32 will be drawn together, so that there will be no tendency for the slide fastener to work open as a result of pulling apart of the slide fastener tapes 41, 42.

What I claim is:

1. An unobtrusive fastening for disengageably drawing together opposite edges of an opening in a garment, said fastening comprising a loop secured to the inner face of the garment adjacent one edge of said opening, the axis of the opening in said loop being substantially parallel to said inner edge; a cord secured to the outer face of the garment adjacent an opposing edge of said opening and extending through said loop; and snap fastening means, one part of which is secured to said cord and passed through said loop and a cooperating part of which is secured to the inner face of said garment adjacent said opposing edge for disengageably securing together cord and loop whereby the edges of said opening are held together.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 668,408 2/ 1901 Kalina. 1,196,471 8/1916 Morgan. 1,348,703 8/ 1920 Ferris 24-203 2,916,742 12/ 1959 Sobel 24-208 X 3,205,544 9/ 1965 Streule.

FOREIGN PATENTS 63,555 3/ 1913 Switzerland. 101,604 10/1923 Switzerland.

BERNARD A. GELAK, Primary Examiner.

US. Cl. XJR. 24-203 

